In the related art, there is known a page-turning device that acquires image data of booklets such as books or documents while pages of the booklets are turned using a page-turning mechanism (for example, refer to JP 2010-228351 A). Using such a page-turning device, it is possible to efficiently process a booklet when books, contract documents of a corporate, and the like are converted into and stored as electronic data. However, when a large number of booklets are converted into electronic data, one of the booklets is processed, the processed booklet is removed manually, and another booklet is set. This makes it difficult to continuously process a plurality of booklets. Meanwhile, in the related art, there is known a device capable of separating and feeding a plurality of stacked booklets one by one starting from the lowermost one (for example, refer to JP 2010-228351 A).
In the technique discussed in JP 2010-208756 A, a gap size between an overlapping feeding restriction member and a driving rotation body changes depending on a thickness of a feeding target material by vertically moving the overlapping feeding restriction member as an elastic deformation volume of an elastic body changes using a spring deformation adjustment mechanism.
In the technique discussed in JP H8-245001 A, when a thickness of the booklets is equal to or larger than a certain level, a claw is installed in an endless chain, and a set of booklets are fed one by one by forcedly feeding the booklets using the claw. Meanwhile, when the thickness of the booklets is small, the claw is removed from the endless belt, and the booklets are continuously fed on the belt one by one.